‘A place where dreams are born’ | Rockford Park District opens Clarence Hicks Sports Complex

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Athletes in Rockford Park District programs ranging from football to soccer, track and cheer officially have a new home in south Rockford.

The Park District on Saturday night celebrated the opening of Clarence Hicks Sports Complex, 2004 Ogilby Road, by welcoming hundreds of youth and families to the facility for festivities that included free food from food trucks, inflatables and games. There was also a parade of youth athletes to a crowd of cheering family members and fans in the stadium, and a special multicolored light show with the stadium’s lighting to wrap up the evening.

“This goes beyond just a simple commitment to our community. This is something that is going to impact our youth for years to come,” said Martesha Brown, president of the park district’s board of commissioners. “We’re focusing in on belonging, on equity and collaboration. It goes well beyond sports. These kids are learning skills that are going to live long and take them along the way.”

The complex features a modern artificial turf field and stadium with an eight-lane running track, a throw and jump event area and a spectator space with bleacher seating for 1,000 people.

There is also a roughly 30-yard warm up zone with turf donated by the Chicago Bears. That turf was once a part of the Walter Payton Center at Halas Hall, where the Bears players train.

Former Bears cornerback Jerry Azumah, who spent seven seasons with the team and is now the president of the Bears Care nonprofit foundation, was on hand for the festivities. He and Gustavo Silva, the Bears director of football development, presented a $50,000 check to the Park District to support its girls flag football program.

Building the stadium and making other landscape improvements to the 77-acre park was a $7.56 million project that was funded with help from about $3.4 million in state tax dollars. There were also donations from the VanVleet Family Foundation. The press box was named in the foundation’s honor for their contribution.

Jay Sandine, the executive director of the park district, said it wasn’t just an investment in the park’s infrastructure but an investment in the community’s youth. Mayor Tom McNamara said the complex will help kids learn both sports and how to be good citizens in the community.

“This is really what we need if we want to build a stronger Rockford,” McNamara said. “We need a place that our young people can come, they can be themselves, they can be mentored, they can be impressed upon and they can learn more than just what they’ll learn running up and down a track or up and down a field.”

McNamara also presented challenge coins to Lamont Jones and Greg Taylor for their years of commitment to youth sports and football programs, including launching a flag football program. The coins are given to people for exceptional service to the community that goes above and beyond their normal duties.

Jones said Taylor reached out to him 23 years ago immediately after learning flag football was coming to Rockford. The first year had 163 kids, now there are thousands playing. He said Fines Woodard and Mike Brown have been coaches the entire time.

The complex will host Rockford FIRE Track & Field, NFL Flag Football, Rockford Wolves youth tackle football, Youth Sports Outreach, NFL cheer, soccer and other sports activities.

“It stands as a symbol of our continued commitment to equity, youth development, the physical social emotional well-being of our children. It also shows our dedication to accessibility and delivering high-quality programs,” said Danielle Potter, superintendent of operations for the Park District. It’s “a place where kids can grow in confidence, character and leadership. A place where families come together to cheer to connect and build community.”

Honoring Clarence Hicks

The complex is named for longtime Park District employee Clarence Hicks, who implemented more than 100 community recreation programs during his 42-year career with the district.

Hicks started in 1961, eventually serving as superintendent of recreation before his retirement in 2003. He died in February 2014 at age 77. Southwest Community Park was renamed in his honor in 2019.

Hicks, who many knew simple as “C,” was a tireless advocate for developing programs that positively affect youth, teens and young adults, Sandine said. Hicks was also instrumental in the construction of The Getaway at Blackhawk Park, the first teen playground in the region.

“Above it all, C passionately created and led youth sports opportunities for kids all throughout the community,” Sandine said. “He was the original GOAT of youth sports.”

Before the night’s festivities concluded, Alderwoman Gabrielle Torina led the stadium in a prayer for what she hopes the complex will become.

“Let this park be more than just turf and track. Let it be a place where dreams are born, where memories are created, where community is strengthened and where lives are forever changed,” she said. “Let it stand as a sign that south Rockford is no longer forgotten but favored. Let this be a place of pride, hope and new beginnings.”

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This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas